‘I Didn’t Kick Anyone’: Salt Bae Gives His Side of Last Fall’s World Cup Celebration Debacle
Butcher and chef Salt Bae went viral years ago when his flair with which he sprinkled sodium on meat delighted the internet, but last fall his latest viral moment managed to anger soccer fans around the world.
When Argentina defeated France in the World Cup Final last year, Nusret Gökçe famously inserted himself into the celebrations that took place on the field at Lusail Stadium. He was able to hold the trophy several times. He even took a now-infamous photo with a visibly irritated Lionel Messi during the soccer star’s greatest moment of triumph. The debacle caused such an uproar that FIFA probed the incident, determining that he shouldn’t have had access to the field.
More from Robb Report
Lionel Messi Makes His Acting Debut in the Argentine TV Series 'Los Protectores'
Ticket Prices to Lionel Messi's Miami Debut Are Already Rivaling Taylor Swift Concerts
In a new interview with British daily The Times, the 39-year-old said that he will never pull such a stunt again.
“I love Argentina; I’ve lived there. I went to support them. Many of [the team] have come to the restaurant,” he told the paper through an interpreter. “I didn’t feel a stranger. It was a special moment. I can’t do anything about the reason I was there, but I would never, ever step on the World Cup pitch again. There were 2 billion people watching the World Cup… How many people are speaking about me? Five billion. The whole world.”
He addressed accusations that he entered the celebration to promote himself, and even suggested that he was unfairly targeted out of all of the attendees of the post-game bash.
“I didn’t go on the pitch with the purpose of advertising; I just felt like it. Then it was a bit of a surprise,” Salt Bae reportedly said. “There were at least another 1,000 people on the pitch but when they show the video they make out it was just me.” He added that, “I never, ever wanted to overshadow anything. I didn’t like the attention. I didn’t kick anyone, steal anything.”
Recently, Salt Bae’s New York City burger restaurant closed, ending its tumultuous three-year run. Gothamist had previously called the eatery “the worst restaurant in NYC.” However, he still maintains another restaurant, Nusr-Et Steakhouse, located in Manhattan’s Midtown West neighborhood.
Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
